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Monday, September 29, 2014

Taking time to BREATHE - Meditation

The
principle of meditation has been around as long as man. Many religions and
alternative therapists have expounded its benefits and perhaps made more
popular with the advent of eastern philosophies and yoga. For those of us that
have come from a more mainstream philosophy towards life, the use of the word
“meditation” can switch one off immediately.

However,
there are so many physiological and psychological
advantages to meditation, that we shouldn’t demonise the practical benefits
over the spiritual application.

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about the busyness of life
and the entrapment that excessive activity brings. (See “Take time to
breathe”). It concerns me that with all the supposed socials aids we have
adapted to (in order to make life easier), we are in fact more pre-occupied
with activity, than at any time in history. We have developed a multiplicity of
communication mediums, yet the intimacy of it, (I believe) has become the
poorer.

It is common place to see groups of individual’s texting or deep
in conversation on the phone, whilst those they are with, are being totally
ignored. This is not “multi-tasking”, its impersonal and communication at its
poorest form.

I make a conscious effort to switch off all access points, in the
presence of an individual, except for the person that I am presently engaged
with. With so many communication gates open to us, (internet, mobile phones,
advertising), we are in fact consuming noise like a sponge, and the inevitable
outcome is to become immune or insensitive towards it (people).

Our senses have
a way of blanking out noise we are familiar with, and awakened to noise which
we are not accustomed to such as, environmental conditions, geographic,
demographics etc.

We need to take control back of our senses, for the benefit and
quality of our communication.

We cannot live life devoid of people, but we can
guard and control what and when, those individuals communicate with us. By
starting our day with a time to breathe, relax and think, we are more
productive and able to cope with the stresses that will come throughout the
day.

I wake in the morning “naturally”, as I find being “alarmed” into the day,
is neither natural nor stimulating. There are few things in my day that are prioritized as “urgent” or “life threatening”. In my working day, I prioritise
importance and guard against the tyranny of urgencies. An individual that is
unwilling or incapable of planning their day should not inflict that
expectation upon another, unless it is life or death. If more people took time
to breathe, think and plan, less stress would occupy our lives.

So what is meditation? Well simply, it is the practice of
exclusion and inclusion. Excluding factors that distract our thought life and
including strategies to narrow ones focus.

Take a cow! (not literally) It seems to spend its life chewing the cud and staring
over fences, but in fact it is doing naturally, what it needs to do for its
growth and well-being. A cow goes through a process of chewing, ruminating,
regurgitating and finally swallowing. It does this in order to get the maximum
extraction of nutrients from it food, until what’s left has little value and
returns to the earth as waste. It is in a sense “meditating.” By focusing on
the process (regardless of the view and other animals around it), it is
maximising the essential building blocks of life.

The art of meditation is concentrated focus. As a child, I was
gifted a magnifying glass. It didn’t take me long to figure out that
concentrating the light from the sun onto a friends hand, would burn him. Later
on, I learned a bigger lesson.

The power of the sun + Magnifying glass+Ripe
Corn field= Disastrous Fire.

The power released from focused concentration (meditation) is
immeasurable, yet it remains “untapped” by most individuals who are busy (and preoccupied),
rubbing sticks to create a fire.

Whilst there are many reported benefits to meditating, research is
ongoing. Below is a list of the reported physiological, psychological and
spiritual benefits that meditation may bring. Of course, ones particular belief system will determine the spiritual practices and benefits. As a Christian, my meditation time places an emphasis on connecting with God, hearing His direction through prayer, reading His word, learning from Christs exemplary lifestyle and listening to His spirit for guidance. The focus of my meditation is to transform to His image and pattern. Romans 12:1-2.

Can cure infertility (the stresses of infertility can interfere with the release of hormones that regulate ovulation).

Lowers oxygen consumption

Increases respiratory rate

Psychological
benefits:Builds self-confidence.Increases serotonin level, influences mood and behaviour.Resolve phobias & fearsHelps control own thoughtsHelps with focus & concentrationIncrease creativityIncreased brain wave coherence.Improved learning ability and memory.Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation.Increased emotional stability.Improved relationshipsMind ages at slower rateEasier to remove bad habitsDevelops intuitionIncreased ProductivityImproved relations at home & at workAble to see the larger picture in a given situationHelps ignore petty issuesIncreased ability to solve complex problemsPurifies your characterDevelop will powerGreater communication between the two brain hemispheresReact more quickly and more effectively to a stressful event.Increases one’s perceptual ability and motor performanceHigher intelligence growth rateIncreased job satisfactionIncrease in the capacity for intimate contact with loved onesDecrease in potential mental illnessBetter, more sociable behaviourLess aggressivenessHelps in quitting smoking, alcohol addictionReduces need and dependency on substancesNeed less sleep to recover from sleep deprivationRequire less time to fall asleep, helps cure insomniaIncreases sense of responsibilityReduces road rageDecrease in restless thinkingDecreased tendency to worryIncreases listening skills and empathyHelps make more accurate judgmentsGreater toleranceGives composure to act in a considered wayGrows a stable, more balanced personalityDevelops emotional maturity

Spiritual
benefits:Helps keep things in perspective (true focus and priority)Provides peace of mind, happinessHelps you discover your purpose, mission and destinyIncreased awareness of God and selfIncreased compassionGrowing wisdom in the word of GodDeeper understanding of yourself and othersBrings body, mind, spirit into balanceSpiritual rest and relaxationIncreased acceptance of oneselfHelps to teach us forgivenessChanges ones attitude and effectiveness toward lifeCreates a deeper relationship with GodAttain revelation Greater sense of directionHelps us to live day by dayCreates a widening, deepening capacity for loveClarifies awarenessExperience an inner sense of eternityExperience a sense of Intimacy with GodSynchronizes your life

Taking time to think and breathe is completely
FREE! It requires no special equipment, and is not complicated to learn. It can
be practiced anywhere, at any given moment, and it is not time consuming (15-20
min). The key factor in meditation is prioritizing ones day, in order to consciously align ones priorities. It isn't a magical cure, it is a philosophy of life. Either we are controlled by the demands of life and others, or we "choose" our priorities. That which we focus upon becomes our centrality. Taking time to process inspiration (a bible reading, biography, prayer or situation) allows us to feed from that input.

By giving yourself permission to think, focus and breathe, your day will better cope with stresses and strains that a normal life can bring. You owe it to yourself and those around you to live life empowered and prepared.

Spend the next week meditating on this verse and record your observations. Meditate, ruminate, mull it over in your mind and discover its wonders.

Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law does he meditate day and night.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper.

Coaching 4 Life Blog

About Me

I enjoy bringing the best out of people and being a part of a global family. I operate Coaching 4 Life ltd and travel as an itinerant Pastor and support worker in most aspects of leadership development.
I have traveled extensively to speak @ conferences, congregations, leadership seminars, businesses and coaching clinics. Most recently, my focus has been in the education sector, providing quality control, workplace assessment, academic and curriculum development.

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Hi, and welcome to "I've Been Thinking".

My intention with this blog, is not to deluge the "blogasphere" with meaningless chatter, or even to gain accolade among my peers. It is a place where I can collate the myriad of thoughts and musings I have floating around my mind. To those of you who are reading, I hope it in some way spurs you on to at least think.

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